The present invention relates to a microwave oven and, more particularly, to an alarm system for warning of an error condition in a microwave oven.
In a microwave oven it is strictly required that the oven door be tightly closed before initiation of the microwave generation. A door latch mechanism and a door switch system are well developed in the microwave oven field, wherein the microwave generation is prevented unless the oven door is tightly closed. However, there is a possibility that a cook start switch might be actuated before the oven door is tightly closed. One feature of the present invention relates to an alarm display for warning of an error condition when the cook start switch is actuated under the condition where the oven door is not tightly closed.
On the other hand, recently, a microwave oven has been developed, which has a control system responding to an output signal derived from a sensor probe for detecting a temperature of foodstuff being cooked. In such a system, there is a possibility that an operator will erroneously instruct a temperature control mode of operation without placing the sensor probe in its operative condition. Another feature of the present invention relates to an alarm display for warning of an error condition when the cook start switch is actuated without placing the sensor probe in its operative condition in the temperature control mode of operation.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an alarm display system for warning of an error condition in a microwave oven.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an alarm display system for warning of an error condition when a cook start switch is erroneously actuated before an oven door is tightly closed.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an alarm display system for warning of an error condition when a cook start switch is erroneously actuated without placing a temperature sensor probe in its operative condition in a cooking temperature control mode of operation.
Yet, another object of the present invention is to provide a digital display system for performing an alarm display in a microwave oven.
Other objects and further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
To achieve the above objects, pursuant to an embodiment of the present invention, an alpha-numeric digital display unit is provided for displaying a cooking time period in a cooking time period control mode and for displaying a food temperature in a cooking temperature control mode.
A microwave oven is provided with a first detection system for developing a first detection output when a cook start switch is erroneously actuated before an oven door is tightly closed.
A display driver is associated with the first detection system for conducting an alarm display, for example, "DOOR" on the alpha-numeric digital display unit in response to the first detection output.
The microwave oven is further provided with a second detection system for developing a second detection output when a cook start switch is erroneously actuated under the condition where a temperature sensor probe is not placed in its operative condition in the cooking temperature control mode. The display driver is associated with the second detection system for conducting an alarm display, for example, "PROBE" on the alpha-numeric digital display unit in response to the second detection output.